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Pitch Tips From the Ultimate Pitchman, Anthony ‘Sully’ Sullivan

Want to ace your next freelance pitch or job interview for that matter?

Take it from Anthony “Sully” Sullivan (yes, he’s the guy who peddles OxiClean and other products), it’s all in the sass and call to action.

According to an interview with The New York Post, Sullivan revealed a great pitch must be concise. “It has to have a little bit of humor. It has to have a reason to be there. At the end of it, it has to have a call to action, like to purchase something.”

As for the interview itself, pitch yourself with your polish. That is, your look, your overall appearance and how you present yourself. As we often hear as writers, “Show, don’t tell.”

He’s a big advocate of that mindset as well. “Then, don’t sell me — tell me,” he said. “I’ll often work a story into my pitches. It brings a level of interest and intrigue to you as an individual. Don’t rattle off your résumé. Get into why you can do a great job.”

So, what if you already have a job and you need to make a sales pitch or even try to sell your boss on why you’re the right reporter/graphic designer/editor for the big story?

Amp it up! “You’ve got to raise the level of excitement,” he added. “You’ve got to project your voice. Eye contact is critical. Your posture’s got to be great.”

Enthusiasm aside, go into that meeting ready to answer questions. Anticipate difficult questions and the one person in the room who must be convinced otherwise.